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Project Mecha
Why Mecha?
The most obvious argument for mecha is that, being machines with legs, they can move on any type of terrain. Unlike tanks or wheeled vehicles, which can be hindered by steep slopes and rocky terrain, a truly humanoid mecha can climb sheer surfaces and negotiate rocks with ease. The versatility of mecha in terms of combat situations is another argument in its favor. Mecha can combine the flexibility of a foot soldier with the toughness and firepower of a tank. The ability to execute hand-to-hand attacks is also a plus in close combat. In terms of control, mecha have the advantage in what GURPS Mecha author David Pulver calls 'species compatibility'. Moving around in a suit and working with mechanical hands and legs, which act like extensions to human limbs, could make tasks, such as handling delicate materials, more intuitive and less error-prone.Even assuming that current problems involved in developing real mecha are solved, however, other factors tend to hinder the adoption of mecha. The cost to produce and maintain such a jack-of-all-trades machine in large numbers is not easy to justify. More likely, mecha may become specialized weapons, much like stealth fighters or the All-Terrain Vehicles of the Navy SEALs, or work machines used in very hazardous situations where the use of, say, robots with telepresence, is simply impossible. Also, especially in the case of tank-sized Mobile Suits, there is the danger that mecha may become nothing more than huge, expensive targets on the battlefield. Unless stealth technology is applied to them (running costs up further), even small battlesuits are likely to produce large radar, magnetic, and heat signatures, making them easy targets for more conventional weapons.
Barring all other considerations, the real reason for mecha in anime, of course, is that mecha are cool, and if it were a choice between a realistic tank or aircraft capable of some interesting tricks in their specific element, or an awe-inspiring humanoid machine capable of pulling enormous g's and ripping enemy targets apart, most mecha-freaks, anime fans, and perhaps even a few generals would probably choose the mecha over anything else.